Battle-tested Newark football squads prepare to meet in Thanksgiving Day match-up

Mitsu Yasukawa/ The Star-LedgerShabazz' s center Jakim Jackson (#55) during a practice with his teammates.Dave McCombs’ memories of Thanksgiving have little to do with turkey.
Instead, he vividly remembers watching Greg Latta, his brother’s
teammate on Newark’s South Side High School’s football team (now called
Malcolm X Shabazz High School), flipping a Weequahic High School player
upside down. McCombs also remembers his senior-year victory over their
South Ward rival and still relishes over that win. In fact, he said he
could not enjoy Thanksgiving without winning that game against
Weequahic. And today, as an alumni and current head coach for Shabazz
football, those feelings haven’t changed – it’s not a good Thanksgiving
unless Shabazz wins, he said.

“What’s Thanksgiving without football?” McCombs asked.

Others might ask, what’s high school without sports rivalries?

Newark football teams were forced to find an answer to this question
when the district realigned the sports conferences in the late 1980s.
But no other game meant the same to the community as the one played
against their rivals on Thanksgiving.

“There’s been something missing, McCombs said. “ The game is an event. It is good for Newark. Residents have something that they look forward to attending.”

For years, residents looked forward to the Thanksgiving match-up between Shabazz and Weequahic – alumni were proud to let people know where they came from and some would even fly from across the country to attend the game. The conference realignment changed the game. Newark schools didn’t face each other and the Thanksgiving rivalry was gone. With a new realignment this year that created the Essex County Power Conference, Newark schools will face each other once again, renewing these historic rivalries. Now, alumni are excited and current students are learning what the Thanksgiving game meant to the community.

Mitsu Yasukawa/ The Star-LedgerWeequahic's running back Trevon Ellis is seen during their practice. “Old nemeses are coming back,” said Patrick Council, coordinator of athletics for Newark Board of Education. “It’s healthy for the community to resonate over school pride. It’s been lost.”

Rivalries energize the communities, which can be very healthy for the schools, he added.

“Bringing the game back, we are hoping to generate excitement for the alumni to come back and reach out, be an extension of that total success for Newark athletics, academics and community,” Council said.

Football is not the only sport that generates this kind of school pride and competition. Shabazz and University high schools are known for their girls’ basketball teams and Barringer and East Side high schools go up against each other in baseball. But currently, the Brick City is buzzing about football because now that the event returned home, residents remember the anticipation of the big game. Once again, former residents will fly to Newark to support their high school alma maters and alumni reminisce the good old days when they were out on the field.

Two noted conference games this year are Barringer High School versus East Orange and Shabazz High School versus Weequahic. The Barringer/East Orange rivalry is older than Yankees/Red Sox, Council said. Meanwhile, 5,000 to 10,000 fans are expected to fill the football stadium at Shabazz when they face Weequahic on Nov. 26.

The rivalry between Shabazz and Weequahic started around the 1940s, but strengthened in the 1960s when residents coined the big Thanksgiving game, the “Soul Bowl.” The game was anticipated by players and fans alike.

“One thing I knew as a player is you threw the season records out the window,” McCombs said. “Back then students circled the date on their calendars.”

No matter what happened during the season, a win against the other school gave the winner bragging rights for the next year – and for the graduates - permanent rights as McCombs still reminds former Weequahic players about the years his Shabazz teams won. When the two teams join each other on the playing field, it becomes territorial, McCombs added. Two Jewish communities in the South section of Newark battle it out.

“It was the haves versus the have nots,” said Altarik White, former Shabazz player and current head coach at Weequahic.

Back then, Shabazz was considered the have nots compared to Weequahic, a community viewed to have bigger houses and more money, White added. As a result, fans competed just as much as the players did.

“It generates a football game and a fashion show,” Coach McCombs said. “People want to come back (to their school) looking better than they did before. If you don’t own a fur coat, you’ll borrow one.”

Coach White echoed this sentiment saying that residents are at their best.

“The game is good for the city, it’s good for the South Ward,” he said.

Although he believes it’s good for the city, at this point in White’s life, the rivalry might not be as good for him because he’s on the opponent’s sideline.

White never expected to be the head coach of his rival team. He played for Coach McCombs and will be inducted into the Shabazz Hall of Fame this year. But those who don’t know him won’t see his Shabazz roots because White had to retire his black and gold colors for Weequahic’s orange and brown.

Mitsu Yasukawa/ The Star-LedgerShabazz' s center Jakim Jackson (#55) and quarterback Jahkwei Fairley (#1) review plays during a recent practice.“I was contacted by the athletic director (about the opening at Weequahic) and I said no, I’m a Bull Dog, black and gold is in my blood,” White said. “But then he said that may be, but orange and brown pays the mortgage.”

White put his Shabazz gear in storage and is now coaching in his eighth year at Weequahic.

Although White sometimes struggles with this conflict, he is happy the big game is back, and that the game is bringing people back home to watch it.

“We have so much negativity, football brings the community together,” White said.

Council speaks further on this topic saying all sports rivalries bring the community together.

“Rivalries bring families back together,” he said. “Most families have a connection to the school. It connects generations. People tailgate and listen to old fight songs.”

Most players on today’s teams do not understand the intensity of the rivalry between the schools, both McCombs and White said. They see it in their coaches, who all participated in it on one of the two sides, but they don’t view the opposing team the same way, not yet.

White said it might take a couple of years to build up the game for the players. But for one young Weequahic starter, he already knows what the game is all about.

Weequahic quarterback, Will Robinson Jr., sophomore, grew up on the other side of the rivalry. His father played for Shabazz from 1977-81.

“I love my son, but tell him I will never wear anything Weequahic,” Will Robinson said.

Meanwhile Will Jr., whose father used to dress him in Shabazz apparel, smiles at his father with his orange and brown braces.

“My dad told me about the rivalry when I was growing up and I wanted to be a part of it,” Will Jr. said. “Last year, (a consolation Thanksgiving game against Shabazz) was the biggest game of my career, which means this year’s game will only be bigger.”

Like White, Robinson is dealing with a conflict of interest. But Weequahic was the best program for his son, so he had to leave school pride out of that decision. He’s excited about the return of the rivalry, but is torn because he can’t route against his son’s team until Will Jr. graduates.

Even with the conflict between his son and his alma mater, Robinson is still thrilled that Will Jr. gets to experience the rivalry.

“It helps the community because as a young boy, you want to be a part of that pride,” Robinson said. He remembers people asking him to buy a Shabazz shirt off his back as he was walking down the street.

In recent history, though, Weequahic didn’t have that sense of school pride. In fact, Council said the school administration noticed students had noticeably low school spirit.

Until 2006, students didn’t even want to wear their school colors, never mind showing it off when they smiled, like Will Jr. But when their principal, Ronald Stone, passed away a couple of years ago, the school joined together.

“Before that, students wouldn’t have been caught dead in an orange shirt,” Council said, explaining the school’s renewed spirit. “Now, they take ownership of it. Kids let people know where they are from.”

And as players are more involved in the Thanksgiving game, both White and McCombs think their players school pride will only get stronger. In the meantime, both coaches are preparing their teams for the Turkey Day match-up and will campaign for their fans to buy tickets for the big game as soon as possible because tickets are sold by first-come, first-serve and both sides are looking for the advantage.

“The game is good for the state of Newark,” McCombs said. “Once again, Newarkers have a game that they can go to.”

“One thing I knew as a player is you threw the season records out the window,” McCombs said. “Back then students circled the date on their calendars.”

No matter what happened during the season, a win against the other school gave the winner bragging rights for the next year – and for the graduates - permanent rights as McCombs still reminds former Weequahic players about the years his Shabazz teams won. When the two teams join each other on the playing field, it becomes territorial, McCombs added. Two Jewish communities in the South section of Newark battle it out.

“It was the haves versus the have nots,” said Altarik White, former Shabazz player and current head coach at Weequahic.

Back then, Shabazz was considered the have nots compared to Weequahic, a community viewed to have bigger houses and more money, White added. As a result, fans competed just as much as the players did.

“It generates a football game and a fashion show,” Coach McCombs said. “People want to come back (to their school) looking better than they did before. If you don’t own a fur coat, you’ll borrow one.”

Coach White echoed this sentiment saying that residents are at their best. “The game is good for the city, it’s good for the South Ward,” he said.

Mitsu Yasukawa/ The Star-LedgerWeequahic's quarterback William Robinson (#15) and his teammates review plays in preparation for their upcoming game against rival Shabazz.Although he believes it’s good for the city, at this point in White’s life, the rivalry might not be as good for him because he’s on the opponent’s sideline.

White never expected to be the head coach of his rival team. He played for Coach McCombs and will be inducted into the Shabazz Hall of Fame this year. But those who don’t know him won’t see his Shabazz roots because White had to retire his black and gold colors for Weequahic’s orange and brown.

“I was contacted by the athletic director (about the opening at Weequahic) and I said no, I’m a Bull Dog, black and gold is in my blood,” White said. “But then he said that may be, but orange and brown pays the mortgage.”

White put his Shabazz gear in storage and is now coaching in his eighth year at Weequahic.

Although White sometimes struggles with this conflict, he is happy the big game is back, and that the game is bringing people back home to watch it.

“We have so much negativity, football brings the community together,” White said.

Council speaks further on this topic saying all sports rivalries bring the community together.

“Rivalries bring families back together,” he said. “Most families have a connection to the school. It connects generations. People tailgate and listen to old fight songs.”

Most players on today’s teams do not understand the intensity of the rivalry between the schools, both McCombs and White said. They see it in their coaches, who all participated in it on one of the two sides, but they don’t view the opposing team the same way, not yet.

White said it might take a couple of years to build up the game for the players. But for one young Weequahic starter, he already knows what the game is all about.

Weequahic quarterback, Will Robinson Jr., sophomore, grew up on the other side of the rivalry. His father played for Shabazz from 1977-81.

“I love my son, but tell him I will never wear anything Weequahic,” Will Robinson said.

Meanwhile Will Jr., whose father used to dress him in Shabazz apparel, smiles at his father with his orange and brown braces.

“My dad told me about the rivalry when I was growing up and I wanted to be a part of it,” Will Jr. said. “Last year, (a consolation Thanksgiving game against Shabazz) was the biggest game of my career, which means this year’s game will only be bigger.”

Like White, Robinson is dealing with a conflict of interest. But Weequahic was the best program for his son, so he had to leave school pride out of that decision. He’s excited about the return of the rivalry, but is torn because he can’t route against his son’s team until Will Jr. graduates.

Even with the conflict between his son and his alma mater, Robinson is still thrilled that Will Jr. gets to experience the rivalry.

“It helps the community because as a young boy, you want to be a part of that pride,” Robinson said. He remembers people asking him to buy a Shabazz shirt off his back as he was walking down the street.

In recent history, though, Weequahic didn’t have that sense of school pride. In fact, Council said the school administration noticed students had noticeably low school spirit.

Until 2006, students didn’t even want to wear their school colors, never mind showing it off when they smiled, like Will Jr. But when their principal, Ronald Stone, passed away a couple of years ago, the school joined together.

“Before that, students wouldn’t have been caught dead in an orange shirt,” Council said, explaining the school’s renewed spirit. “Now, they take ownership of it. Kids let people know where they are from.”

And as players are more involved in the Thanksgiving game, both White and McCombs think their players school pride will only get stronger. In the meantime, both coaches are preparing their teams for the Turkey Day match-up and will campaign for their fans to buy tickets for the big game as soon as possible because tickets are sold by first-come, first-serve and both sides are looking for the advantage.

“The game is good for the state of Newark,” McCombs said. “Once again, Newarkers have a game that they can go to.”